On a somber, seemingly calm Sunday in Chicago, several dozen Haitian Americans and allies made their presence known and rallied to stop Haitian hatred.
“We want to rally around Haitians across the United States who are dealing with Haitian hatred,” said Daniel Jean Jr., president of the Haitian American Professional Network. “We want to get the message out that we will not stand for this.”
The rally comes after unfounded claims by former President Donald Trump and threats that followed against Haitian migrants in Springfield, Ohio.
During a presidential debate, Trump claimed there were reports of Haitian migrants in Ohio abusing animals and pets. Law enforcement and elected officials in the area said there were no confirmed reports or evidence for those claims.
On Sunday in Federal Plaza, groups worked to shed that rhetoric and instead highlight the contributions Haitian immigrants make to society.
“When we come to the United States, we come to work. We come to take care of our family. We come to educate ourselves,” said Marie Lynn Toussaint, president of the Haitian Congress. “We are in solidarity with them and we know they are being treated unfairly.”
Toussaint was born in Haiti and came to the United States when she was 11 years old. She is now a lawyer.
Jean Jr. has a similar success story from his parents, who immigrated to Chicago in the late 1970s.
“When she [Jean Jr.’s mom] came here she started flipping hamburgers and then retired as a respiratory therapist for Rush Hospital after going through school, getting us through school,” he said. “It’s unfair, the treatment and how our contributions are overlooked.”
Organizers also pointed out Sunday that Markenzy Lapointe, the U.S. attorney leading the office prosecuting the suspect in Donald Trump’s assassination attempt, is Haitian.